Moon Madness
by Smenzer
Summary: A crazy story where Elizabeth wishes for adventure and is chased around Port Royal by a lovesick werewolf! WillElizabeth. Some JamesElizabeth Ch 3 now added!
1. Chapter 1

Moon Madness

Title: Moon Madness

Author: Smenzer

Characters: Elizabeth, Will, Norrington, Jack, Pintel, Ragetti, Gillette, Groves, Murtogg, and Mullroy

Pairing: Will/Elizabeth

Status: Complete

Word count: 3,130 words

Genre: Supernatural humor/parody

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. They belong to Disney or whoever owns the Rights to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Summary: Elizabeth wishes for excitement one night of the full moon and encounters a scary beast. Who will save her from it? A POTC werewolf story!

Author's Note: Originally posted on LJ under a different account.

Elizabeth crept down the stairs of her father's mansion, a pale hand sliding along the polished wood of the banister. The hour was late and she was supposed to be in bed, but she wanted to go see Will to get in a bit of extra sparring practice. Besides, it wasn't really that late or that's what she told herself anyway. The clock had yet to strike midnight. Stepping onto the floor with one dainty slipper, she inched towards the front door and silently slipped out. Her white gown fluttered in the warm tropical breeze, a huge full moon rising up into the sky. Thankful for the moon's light, she hurried down the dirt path towards the blacksmith shop. Reaching it, she lifted the wooden bar that kept the door closed and stepped within. The shop was dark except for a small red glare coming from the dying fire in the forge and the crooked square of moonlight coming through the open doorway … and two tiny glowing yellow orbs? Elizabeth squinted, her forehead wrinkling, as she tried to ascertain exactly what they could be. They weren't candle flames nor where they lamps. In fact, they reminded her of _eyes_…

Then _something _stepped forward, exactly what Elizabeth wasn't sure as she had never seen or heard of such a beast. It was as tall as a person and stood on two legs like a man, but it had the appearance of a wolf: yellow glowing eyes, a long snout filled with sharp white teeth and upright ears. Although its hands were human-like, each finger ended in sharp, curved claws. It also had the canine feet with the impossibly long foot, the toes tipped in blunt black claws. It's breathing filled the silent room, the nostrils twitching as it took in her scent. Its steady breath reminded her of the bellows used on the forge… And Will, where was he?

Brown eyes widening in fright, she clamped a pale hand over her mouth. Taking an unsteady step backward, she slowly inched away from the creature. Its golden eyes were locked on her, its gaze unwavering. Her heart pounded within her chest, small beads of salty sweat breaking out on her forehead. Her hand outstretched, she made contact with the rough wood of the shop's doorway and stumbled outside, her eyes never leaving the creature. It was still there, in the shop. Then it lifted its head skyward and howled, the loud cry echoing in the otherwise silent night.

Terrified, Elizabeth ran down the dirt road. She had wished for excitement, but this was too much! After being kidnapped by pirates and going on a grand adventure things back in Port Royal seemed incredibly dull, more boring than before. Each day seemed an eternity as the sun inched across the sky slower than a snail. The only real highlights to her day was seeing Will and practicing fencing; not that fencing was all that thrilling. Learning the moves and how to properly hold the blade was monotonous to say the least. Nor could she use her new partially formed skill because all the blades were in the shop, with the creature between her and the weapons! Another howl was let loose in the night, the terrifying sound sending icy chills down her spine.

"AWOOOO!" The beast howled. Unknown to Elizabeth, the howl actually meant: _Elizabeth, wait! It's me! Where are you going? I love you!_

Hair streaming out behind her, she ran even faster. Daring to glance back, she was dismayed to see the horrible thing chasing her! It was loping along in some weird four-footed style. Worst, it seemed to be gaining ground!

Shrieking, Elizabeth dashed around a corner towards the peer. Hope bloomed in her chest when she saw a familiar figure sitting on a wooden barrel drinking from a glass bottle. Wasting no time, she bee lined right for her pirate friend. "Jack, you have to save me!"

Jack blinked his coal-lined eyes, one dark brow rising. "Save ye from what, Lizzie?"

"That!" Elizabeth pointed at the rapidly approaching man-animal-thing.

Following her finger, Jack's eyes widened when he saw the creature running at them. Startled, he jerked backward, fell off the barrel and landed with a loud splash in the water.

"Coward!" Elizabeth yelled at his disappearing form, her hands tightening into fists. Remembering the fast approaching thing, she dashed further down the wooden sidewalk that ran along the waterfront. Each footfall sounded like a drum to her ears and she was sure the beast could hear her.

"AWOOOO!" It howled, letting her know it was still chasing her.

"What was that?" A voice floated to Elizabeth from around the side of a large warehouse.

"Don't know. Reckon we don't want to know either…" A second voice replied. "We're supposed to be looting the contents of this building…"

"But what if it's something bad?" The first voice asked, sounding nervous. "I don't like dogs, Pint. Not them big ones anyway. They have big teeth. What if them marines got themselves some big guard dogs?"

"They're not gonna get any dogs…" Pintel glared angrily at Ragetti. "Quit your yakking and help me break this door down. None of them marines are around and you know how the Captain is always talking of opportune moments…"

Shrieking, Elizabeth raced straight at Pintel and Ragetti.

Confused expressions on their face, they both gawked at her with partly open mouths.

"Save me!" She cried as she dashed behind Ragetti, crouching down somewhat to hide behind his tall frame.

"From what?" Pintel asked her. "I don't see nothing…"

"AWOOOO!" The beast slid around the corner, its long black claws making deep grooves in the wooden sidewalk. Breathing hard, its chest heaving visibly thanks to the bright moonlight, it took a menacing step forward.

Eyes wide in fear, Pintel gulped. "Yer right, Rags. Them marines did get a dog and an ugly one at that! Time ter leave!"

Running towards the nearby water, Pintel and Ragetti leaped headfirst in and started swimming outward.

"What? Wait! You can't do that!" Elizabeth cried at their retreating forms. "You can't just leave me alone with this … this … dog!"

The click of claws on wood drew her attention back to the beast. It slowly inched closer one step at a time, some horrible white slobber dripping from its jaws in long strings. Its chest was still heaving from its exertion, but it didn't look exhausted yet. The yellow eyes were locked directly on her; not once did it pay any attention whatsoever to the fleeing pirates. Elizabeth drew a shaky breath, stepping backward. "Nice doggy, doggy…"

"AWOOOO!"

A new burst of terror squeezed her heart and she turned, running for her life once again. After what seemed like forever but was actually ten minutes she came upon a nice home. Wasting no time, she flew up the porch stairs and started banging on the door with both fists. Pausing in her rapping, she turned to look behind her. The beast was coming up the path! Shrieking in terror, she pounded on the door with more vigor. Without warning, the door flew open and she stumbled forward, a pair of strong arms catching her.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing out at this hour and in your nightgown no less?" A sleepy James Norrington asked her. He was dressed in a white, mid-thigh nightshirt and was wigless, his natural dark hair hanging loose about his shoulders. "Why are you on my porch and …"

Before he could finish, Elizabeth shoved him out of the way and ran shrieking into the house.

Catching his balance on a nearby hall table, James turned to look out the still open door to see what had frightened her so badly. He looked just in time to see the ugly creature running up his porch stairs and then it leaped right at him. Its hands landed on his shoulders, its momentum knocking him over backward onto the hard floor. Then its back feet hit his stomach, as it made ready to leap over him, temporary knocking the air out of him. Its weight vanished a moment later as it, too, ran into his house. Elizabeth's loud shriek woke him out of his shocked state and he rolled over, quickly getting to his feet. Barefoot, he dashed upstairs to his bedroom to fetch his sword. By the time he rushed back downstairs a moment later, he was just in time to see Elizabeth dash back out the still open front door, the beast still after her. The remains of a potted plant fell off its back, Elizabeth's lame attempt of stopping it. James leaped over the remains as he joined the chase.

"AWOOO!" The beast howled, loudly proclaiming his love.

"Save me!" Elizabeth yelled to whoever was awake at the ungodly hour.

"Stop! You're under arrest!" James shouted at the beast in front of him.

Murtogg and Mullroy were on guard duty at the Fort.

"Did you hear something?" Murtogg asked his companion. "I thought I heard a woman screaming…"

"Sounded more like a wolf howling at the full moon…"

"Can't be no wolf. There are no wolves here in the Caribbean…"

Elizabeth raced pass them, shrieking.

"See? It wasn't a wolf." Murtogg replied smugly. "It's just Miss Swann."

The beast ran past them, hot on Elizabeth's heels.

"See? Now that was a wolf!" Mullroy corrected him, proudly sticking his chest out. "I know a wolf when I hear one…"

"That isn't a wolf…" Murtogg glanced at his fellow guard, frowning. "That's some sort of dog…"

"Elizabeth!" James Norrington cried as he raced barefoot past the two guards in just his nightshirt, a sword in one hand. "Raise the alarm!"

Murtogg shrugged his shoulders. "Guess it's the Commodore's dog…"

"Guess we better raise the alarm like he said." Mullroy said, shuddering. "That was a nasty looking wolf. Wonder if it has rabies…"

Elizabeth raced into the Fort as the alarm started to sound. The running around was really starting to tire her out. Her feet ached and now a sharp pain was stabbing her in her side. Why was the beast obsessed with her? Why hadn't it chased after someone else? And why didn't someone stop it? She could hear James shouting at it. A lot of good that did! It was some vicious, bloodthirsty animal with a one-track brain and he wanted to arrest it? "Just shoot it already!"

"I can't!" James shouted back at her. "I don't have my pistol!"

"This is a bloody fort! There are pistols everywhere!"

"AWOOOO!" The beast added, its sharp claws scrambling on the smooth stones that lined the fort's hallway. It sounded as if it was growing closer and closer…

Elizabeth had no idea where she was running. Yes, she had been in the fort many times but she hadn't been everywhere. There were doors along the lantern-lit corridor but most appeared to be locked. Still, she tugged frantically on each one as she hurried past. The loud bell was ringing and soon everyone would be awake. The beast would be cornered and killed. She just needed to stay ahead of it a bit longer. Gripping the handle of the next door, she was shocked when it actually swung open. Her slippers sliding on the smooth stones, she raced into the room, spun around, pulled the door shut and frantically searched for a lock…

"Miss Swann!" A startled voice exclaimed from behind her.

Spinning around on her heels, her back pressed against the wooden door, she was stunned to see a partially dressed Gillette and Groves, the two frozen in the process of putting on their white shirts. From the contents of the small room, it was obvious she had barged into their shared bedroom. The room had two beds, one under a window and the other along the opposite wall. Both men had somewhat reddened faces, no doubt due to a lady seeing them in an improper state without wigs, neck cloths and hats; their bare chests visible. At the moment, however, she couldn't care less. "The lock, where's the lock?"

"This is the barracks, Miss Swann." Gillette informed her roughly. "We do not have locks on our doors."

The door shook as something struck it from the other side and Elizabeth leaped away, screaming. Spotting a sword sitting on a nearby nightstand, she snatched it up and leaped up onto the bed nearest the window. Breaking the glass, she quickly scrambled out the window and dropped the short distance to the ground.

"Hey!" Groves shouted after her. "That's my sword!"

The door shuddered again and then crashed to the floor with a loud boom. A strange creature, partly hair-covered with a long snout, raced into their room and leaped out the busted window. A moment later the Commodore appeared in his nightshirt, green eyes wide with panic. "Where did it go?"

Groves pointed silently at the busted window.

James jumped up onto Groves' bed and crawled through the window, pausing to glare at his two officers. "Don't just stand there, get after it!"

"But, Sir! We're not proper yet…" Gillette protested, his shirt still not on.

"We need to get that animal before it gets Miss Swann!" James disappeared through the window and dropped to the ground. "One of you better have a pistol!"

Sighing, they grabbed up their pistols and Gillette his sword to follow their commanding officer outside via the window. They had no idea what was going on or why some strange animal was chasing Miss Swann around in the middle of the night. But thanks to her, they were now required to run around half clothed and miss their sleep.

Back at the main door to the fort, Murtogg and Mullroy were still on guard duty. Just because some wild animal had entered the fort didn't mean they could leave their posts. They had sounded the alarm as requested and now they had to wait.

"I know…" Mullroy suddenly said. "It's a werewolf!"

"Don't be daft!" Murtogg shook his heading, laughing. "There's no such thing as a werewolf!"

"Sure there is." The other man protested loudly. "You saw it. No dog could look like that, all deformed and yet man-like. Plus there's a full moon."

Both paused to stare up at the full moon high overhead, a shiver passing through both of them. They remembered the cursed pirates all too well.

"It's a dog and that's that!" Murtogg insisted, arms momentarily crossed over his chest, his weapon clutched in one sweaty hand. "A half-starved mongrel with bad mange and some birth deformities. Yeah and Miss Swann was about for a late stroll because you know how she is pirate-obsessed and all. It was rooting in a nearby bin and she startled it. Frightened, she ran and triggered its instinct to chase prey. Then the Commodore got involved somehow…"

"AWOOOO!"

"I hope it doesn't come this way…" Mullroy said as sweat beaded on his brow.

Loud shrieking grew louder and louder.

"It's coming this way." Murtogg sighed, standing up straighter and ready to salute. First Elizabeth ran past shrieking with a sword in one hand, and then the odd beast, then the Commodore followed by his half naked lieutenants. As Norrington ran past the two marines smartly saluted. "The line is getting longer…"

"Yep." Mullroy agreed. "Good thing we're on guard duty. I don't much care for running about."

A few minutes later, dozens of marines and navy personnel flowed out of the fort, all ready to run off in pursuit of the enemy. They were all very surprised when the guards on night duty informed them the enemy was a wild deformed dog. Port Royal was in chaos, armed soldiers running every direction and often jumping at each other's shadows.

Elizabeth was exhausted by the time she saw the first rays of sunlight creep up into the sky. The beast had chased her all night, howling every so often. No matter how she had tried to evade it or run around in circles it had followed her. Hiding hadn't worked as it easily followed her scent trail. And when she ran towards James and his officers, the thing just barreled them right over, the gunshots going wild. Clinging to the side of a nearby building, she glanced behind her fearfully. She hadn't seen or heard the thing for the past twenty minutes. Where had it gone? Was it lying in wait somewhere nearby, ready to jump out at her? Or had one of the marines finally shot it? A figure moved in the shadows up ahead and her heart sped up. Was it the creature?

"Elizabeth!" Will called as the shadowy figure stepped out into the sunlight. He was wearing his normal outfit of dark pants with boots, a white puffy-sleeved shirt and brown vest. "What's going on? Are we being attacked by pirates?"

"Will!" Elizabeth cried as she raced into his arms. "Some horrible beast was chasing me all night! No matter where I ran it followed me! It had glowing golden eyes and this ugly snout filled with sharp teeth!"

The young blacksmith hugged her tightly, long black claws morphing back into ordinary fingernails behind her back. "It's all right, Elizabeth. I'm here now. I'll not let some beast get you!"

Just then James and his two lieutenants appeared from around another corner. The Commodore's nightshirt was torn in several places from the wild beast leaping on him each time he stood between the creature and its prey. He didn't understand why the beast hadn't torn his throat out; it certainly had the opportunity. Except for a few minor scrapes and scratches, he was perfectly fine. Weary from running about barefoot all night, he was relieved to see Elizabeth safe. "Mr. Turner, did you see the creature?"

"What creature?" Will asked sleepily, muffling a yarn with one hand. "I just woke up, Commodore. I haven't seen anything except for my donkey in the shop."

"Some dog-like beast." The Commodore explained. Looking down at himself, he frowned. "Escort Miss Swann home and watch out for the creature. We need to return to the fort, get properly dressed and then search the entire town and surrounding area."

Safe in Will's arms, Elizabeth sighed happily. He was such a hero.

The End?


	2. Chapter 2

Moon Madness 2

Title: Moon Madness 2

Author: Smenzer

Rating: PG

Characters: Elizabeth, Will, James, Beckett, Governor Swann, Gillette & Groves

Pairing: Will/Elizabeth, James/Elizabeth

Genre: Humor with a supernatural twist, suspense

Teaser: Elizabeth wants Will to attend Lord Beckett's nighttime party with her but he can't due to his secret lycanthrope. What happens when the scent of roasting pig attracts him anyway?

Disclaimer. The characters are not mine. They belong to whoever owns the rights to POTC. This is just for fun.

"I don't think it's fair." Elizabeth stated, pouting, as she stood just outside the blacksmith shop Will worked in. She fanned herself nervously, wary of the darkness just beyond the open door. The forge had never bothered her before, not until two nights ago and that horrid thing had come after her from within the darkness. She still didn't know why the thing had been hiding there. The only thing she could think of was that Mr. Brown had carelessly left the door open while drunk and it had crawled in. Worst, the marines still hadn't caught it and she couldn't help wondering where it was at the moment. Thick jungle and endless fields of sugar cane surrounded Port Royal so it could be anywhere. The thought was not comforting.

"Elizabeth," Will said from where he stood in the doorway of the sweltering shop, sweat running down his brow. "I don't care about attending some party Lord Beckett is holding tonight. It'll be ... you know..."

Her eyes peered over Will's shoulder into the inky darkness. Although the forge wasn't as dark as it was that night, it was still relatively dim compared to the bright sunlight that surrounded her. A cherry red light glowed in the distance like a red ember, as Will had been busy working on an order when she had showed up. It reminded her of the creature's glowing eyes... She didn't know why it bothered her so much. She had survived undead pirates and cursed gold just fine. But then, the pirates had never tried to bite her. It was clear the predator had thought her a juicy snack. Snapping back to their conversation, she replied. "It'll be what?"

"I wouldn't fit in at Lord Beckett's party. They have all those rules..." Will admitted as he wiped at his dripping forehead. "Besides, I have to finish this order."

"But all you ever do is work all day and sometimes half the night! Wouldn't you like to go dancing and enjoy the fine food?" Elizabeth pleaded; hope glowing in her brown eyes as she gripped his dirty hands. "Word is that there's going to be a big feast and everyone is looking forward to it. As we're engaged I think it's only proper you attend with me, even if you weren't invited. It was an innocent mistake I'm sure..."

"And go where I'm not wanted? Elizabeth, I love you, but we come from two different worlds. You have to understand that." Will attempted to explain. "I wouldn't know the proper things to discuss with Lord Beckett and his other guests. We don't travel in the same circles or read the same books. In fact, I don't even own a book. He probably has a room full of them..."

"But I don't care about that!" Elizabeth insisted as she peered over her shoulder at the busy street. She couldn't help but notice the shadows the swaying palms cast on the muddy street or the way the sky looked a slightly dimmer shade of blue, some of the brightness gone. "I want you at the party tonight. I want us to dance together under the full moon. Just think how spectacular it will be!"

A wry smile crept over the blacksmith's face. "Are you sure you're still not jumping at shadows?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "No! Of course not!"

"I think that dog that everyone is talking about has you freaked." He stated as he pulled her close, hugging her. "I'm sure that thing is long gone. Besides, you have nothing to worry about. Your father, Commodore Norrington and a ton of other guests will be there. Do you really think some wild dog is going to go there, amid all of those noisy people?"

"It wasn't a dog!" Elizabeth repeated for what seemed the tenth time as she pressed her face against Will's shoulder, her hands wrapped around his waist tightly. She knew her father would frown on such signs of affection in public, but at the moment she didn't care. If she'd have a choice, she'd much prefer to stay home in the safety of her bedroom. Being chased by pirates was one thing, but an ugly predator was another. But as the Governor's daughter she had no choice and had to attend. To do otherwise would insult Lord Beckett and that wouldn't do, especially since he had just recently arrived in Jamaica. So she would put on a new gown with layers of lace and attend cheerfully, to glide among the guests with polite conversation. That was her father's idea anyway. She, of course, had another.

"You know I never saw it." Will reminded her. "But I don't know what else it could be. And I heard one of the marines describing it that way."

"Are you sure you won't come to the party with me? I'd feel better if you were there. It's going to be entirely outside. Can you believe that, having an outdoor party with that horrid thing roaming the streets freely?"

"You'll be fine." Will repeated as he pulled away. "And I do have that order to finish."

Elizabeth sighed. She knew Will did all the work himself, Mr. Brown being in a drunk stupor most of the time or passed out in some corner. Yet the older man took all the credit for Will's hard work and was in control of the coin as well! If she were going to be ready for the party, she'd have to leave soon. "Promise me you'll try to attend if you finish your work early so we can share at least one dance?"

"I'll try…." Will bent down and kissed her, his breath hot against her cheek. "But I can't make any promises."

Elizabeth watched him disappear back into the darkness of the smithy and headed for home.

000

"This is madness!" Elizabeth proclaimed loudly several hours later that night, her sharp words aimed at the cool and dignified man that stood before her in powdered wig, frock coat and ruffled white shirt. Lord Beckett may be stylish but he evidently lacked a brain! "There's some horrid beast on the loose and you're holding an _outdoor_ party!"

"Miss Swann, please do refrain from using that word." Lord Beckett calmly replied as he picked up a sparkling crystal glass of brandy off a long table laden with food and drink, offering it to her. Upon her refusal, he sipped it himself. "It's bad for business. I would think you would be more sensible. It's not wise to start rumors and stir up trouble…"

"I didn't start any rumors!" Elizabeth replied hotly, dislike for the arrogant wealthy Lord filling her body. The very idea that he was suggesting she had made it all up, why, it was enough to make her scream! She wasn't one of those weak-brained females that swooned at the slightest hint of male chest or shrieked bloody murder because of a simple mouse. Yes, the thing had frightened her, but she had used that fear to stay alive. She had outrun it somehow and had gotten help from Fort Charles. But now he was carelessly putting countless lives in mortal peril by having this party outdoors! It was sheer foolishness and she didn't feel one bit guilty about telling him to his face. "Some horrid beast did chase me and it's still out there!"

"I'm afraid, Miss Swann, that I don't believe in werewolves." Lord Cutler Beckett stated calmly after another sip of his drink. "That _is_ what the rumors are saying, you know. I have ways of hearing such things as the town's idle gossip. These wild tales of a bloodthirsty beast have deflected everyone's attention off the _true_ story here; the fact that you were running about all night improperly dressed with an ex-fiancé while you're engaged to another man, a blacksmith no less. However, the townsfolk apparently _do_ believe in this creature of yours so I was forced to hold this party to prove that no such creature exists. When no such creature maims anyone tonight they will forget their fears and go back to their merry little lives purchasing goods."

Anger flashed through her like dry tinder going up in flames and her brown eyes narrowed. Her beautiful gown of peach silk and white imported French lace seemed suddenly too tight, even though she wasn't wearing one of the cursed corsets. Black spots seemed to dance before her eyes for a moment and she realized she had forgotten to breath. It wouldn't do to strike her host. It would cause a terrible scene and all of Port Royal's gossipmongers were here. Besides, her father was angry enough about her sneaking out the other night and he had instructed her to be on her best ladylike behavior. And in truth, it had been partly her fault for sneaking out. She had known it was wrong and dangerous, yet she had done it anyway. Any lowlife could have cut her throat and left her body in an alley; that's the chance a young lady took when sneaking out alone onto the deserted streets. It could also leave her reputation in tattered ruins. But it had been so exciting sneaking about until that thing had appeared from the inky shadows… "I was _not_ running about but fleeing for my life!"

"From a stray dog? Hardly life threatening…" He placed his empty glass down upon a silver platter and idly turned to survey the crowd around them. Elegantly dressed men in powder wigs and ladies in beautiful silk gowns strolled about the soft, perfectly trimmed expanse of lawn Beckett owned. Brightly lit lanterns on tall, stately iron posts lit the area around them, sending bright pools of amber gold down upon the partygoers. There was a paved area of flat stepping stones for dancing, the stones carefully laid and fitted together by color and shape; a backbreaking job that had taken countless hours laboring in the tropical sun. In the middle of this dance floor was the emblem of the East India Trading Company; the shapes and letters formed from black stones. Here and there a shrub broke the flat expanse of grass, the air was filled with the sweet scent from night blooming flowers that grew on them. There were carefully tended beds of flowers, lush tropical plants and swaying palm trees. Lord Beckett's yard was a masterpiece, even if he had just recently moved here from England. "I assure you, Miss Swann, you are perfectly safe here. There is a tall wall surrounding my estate and stray dogs cannot gain entrance. Why don't you go enjoy the party and forget about this so-called werewolf?"

Elizabeth breathed in the damp, sweet night air. The air always seemed so much richer at night, more alive somehow. Tilting her head back, she gazed up at the night sky. A thousand stars sparkled high above like diamonds on the blackest velvet. On the far horizon a golden glow started to creep upward, stealing some the star's glory. It was the moon starting its nightly climb into the heavens. She had never considered the possibility that the beast had been a werewolf. In fact, this was the first she had even heard about it. The thing had howled like a wolf; not that she had even heard a real wolf before but it was how she had imagined they would sound. If cursed pirates were real, what if other curses were real as well? She had always thought the moon romantic but to the person under its curse surely it would be a hated sight as the soft silvery moonlight forced them to change into a vicious animal…

"And what if it _is_ a werewolf?" She demanded angrily, her brown eyes flashing with fire. "You've put all these people in danger!"

Lord Beckett sighed, rubbing at his temple. "Go dance with Commodore Norrington, please. He'd be thrilled to see you no doubt."

000

In the smithy the forge fires had burned low and were now just a weak glow, little more than red embers. A thin tendril of smoke rose from the dying flame and the sudden silence seemed strange after hours of steady hammering on red-hot metal. The donkey rolled its eye and stamped its hoofed feet nervously, the glob of odd paste on its nose only calming it partly. The moon was rising outside, slowly climbing up above the treetops and although it wasn't visible yet in this part of town, certain individuals could still feel its effect. One such person huddled in the darkest recess of the smithy now as he quickly discarded his clothing in preparation for the coming change.

He hadn't meant to scare Elizabeth the other night. In fact, he had been telling her he loved her. It wasn't his fault if she didn't understand his howled words in wolf speak…

He hadn't planned on chasing her, either. But the sight of his beloved was more than he could stand. She was just so beautiful and her scent had filled his sensitive nostrils. Then when she had started running, well, his chase instinct had kicked in. It had been great fun, the most fun he had had in a long time. Why, he even got the chance to run over Commodore Norrington! Best of all the navy man had no idea it had been him. Later, when he was back to himself, he just acted his usual stupid self and pretended he had just woken up. As fun as it was, Will knew he mustn't do it again. Running around like that was incredibly dangerous. There were already rumors flying around town about a werewolf; who had started them he didn't know but he certainly didn't want to get caught.

The moon rose slightly higher in the sky, the silvery light falling through the narrow gaps of the smithy's roof and walls. The building was badly built and had been thrown together too quickly upon their arrival in Port Royal all those years ago. Not that he had been changing all these years, just the last few. He had known it was coming, though, so he had been waiting for it. It had been easy to slink out in the wee hours when the town lay silent and still, all the residents fast asleep. Usually he caught a few wild rodents in the nearby fields or jungle, gobbling them down quickly. Their protein helped supplement the sorry excuse for a meal Mr. Brown provided for his hours upon hours of hard physical labor. Now the light fell on him again and he welcomed the change, his bones and muscles quickly flowing into a new arrangement. His jaw lengthened into a snout, his ears grew into pointed flaps of upright skin and dark fur started to sprout all over his body. His arms and legs grew longer as did each foot until he was standing more or less on his toes. The urge to howl loudly sprung up in him but he quickly crushed it down. His carelessness the other night had people on guard and the last thing he wanted to do was to alert them to his presence.

Slinking past the frightened donkey, Will shoved the door open partly and squeezed through the narrow gap. The town lay silent around him, the dirt streets deserted in this area. Keeping to the darkest of shadows, Will followed his usual path out towards the fields. The half-promise he had made to Elizabeth nipped at his mind like a biting flea. He had finished his work and he supposed the party was still going, but he could hardly attend looking like this! No, he would just frighten and upset her. And he felt bad enough for scaring her the other night, but he hadn't expected her to show up, either.

His stomach growled loudly, the simple fare of bread, a hunk of cheese and a few pieces of fruit hardly filling his stomach after toiling all day and evening. Mr. Brown liked his drink and lately he spent more coin on it than on food for his grown apprentice. What had filled a boy years ago didn't fill a man today. His large paws padded silently on the warm earth, his claws gripping the ground lightly as he loped along quickly in a strange two-legged, sometimes four-legged gate.

The breeze shifted suddenly, causing Will to freeze in his tracks. The most delicious scent ever was floating along on the air currents and his mouth started to fill with saliva. Stomach rumbling, he quickly changed course. He could eat rodents any time, but this was too tempting a treat to pass up.

Someone, somewhere, was roasting a pig…

000

Elizabeth stood silently for a moment watching the pig cook on the metal spit above the fire pit. It was supposed to be impressive; she knew that, but it was hard to be impressed when you were convinced some awful creature would leap on you from the nearest shadowy place. And there were shadowy places _everywhere_. The lanterns' glow of golden light was limited. Sure, there were dozens upon dozens of lanterns all over the place, but there were still large gaps of deep shadow here and there. And although Lord Beckett had boasted of his wall, in truth it wasn't that tall. The thing that had chased her had possessed long legs and if it had truly been a real werewolf…

Would a mere wall keep a werewolf out?

The idea was laughable. It could probably go right _through_ the wall if it wanted to…

The thing is, she knew very little about the supernatural or werewolves, having been more interested in pirates most of her life. Unfortunately, the supernatural certainly seemed interested in her lately. First there had been the cursed Aztec coins with the undead pirates and now for some unknown reason she had attracted the attention of a roaming werewolf! For that description fit the horrid beast perfectly. What else could be so ugly with glowing golden eyes? Elizabeth idly watched Beckett's servants turning the giant spit that the pig was attached to, bits of sizzling oil and fat dripping into the roaring fire. A cloud of cooking smoke rose high into the night sky, the smell of roasting meat filling the damp night air. It was delicious to say the least and she was famished, having eaten very little earlier in the day in anticipation of the feast. But as the time for the party grew closer and closer, she had grown more nervous due to the fact it would be outdoors.

Feeling weak from hunger and the heat from the blazing fire, she moved towards the long tables that held a wide assortment of food. The tables were draped in the finest white linens that reached all the way to the ground, a soft breeze blowing the fabric outward against her long dress. Bright candelabra in silver holders threw soft light onto decanters of various expensive wine and brandy, sparkling crystal glasses standing ready. There were giant silver platters of roasted chickens, fresh pies, pastries, sliced cheese, fresh fruits, bread, bowls of mixed nuts and a wide assortment of beautifully decorated cakes. There were even the rich dairy cakes that she secretly loved but dare not eat very much of less she be unable to fit into her gowns. She was sure Will would have loved this feast, for he never had tasted many of the things here. She knew for a fact he had never ever even seen a cheesecake for he had looked at her blankly when she had mentioned having a sliver of one several months ago. With the tropical heat, though, they didn't keep very well so the cooks hardly ever made them. Choosing a pastry, she placed it on an empty plate and nibbled on it neatly.

"Elizabeth, there you are!" Her father called as he approached her at the long table. Governor Swann was dressed in an elaborate frock coat with much embroidery and fancy golden buttons, his long-locked wig of authority and his favorite ostrich plume tricorn hat. "Have you filled the slots on your card yet?"

"No, not really…" She admitted as she took another bite of her fruit filled pastry. It was light and flaky, perfect really. The taste of the sweet fruit on her tongue was almost enough to make her forget about the creature that may be lurking out there in the darkness just beyond the reach of the lanterns. Dancing didn't seem all that interesting at the moment…

"Commodore Norrington is looking for you. I believe he'd like to dance with you a few times…" Governor Swann filled a glass with brandy and placed a large slice of fruitcake on his plate, then piled some pudding on the side while eyeing the mince pie. He hadn't really eaten anything all day; waiting for the special feast he knew Lord Beckett would have waiting for his guests. "After how you so rudely disturbed him the other night at an ungodly hour, I really think you ought to dance with him."

Elizabeth finished her pastry, resisting the urge to lick the last bits of sweet from her fingers. It wasn't ladylike and she never did it before, not until she started to know Will much better. Being a commoner, he saw nothing wrong with such behavior; although he had turned pinkish the first time she caught him doing it. Still, her father wouldn't approve if he knew she was picking up bad habits from her new fiancé. Nor did she miss how he was once again trying to steer her towards the Commodore. "I guess I must, since Will wasn't invited."

"You can hardly expect Lord Beckett to invite a blacksmith to his party, Elizabeth! Surely you understand that." Her father replied as he picked up a fork for his fruitcake. The cake was thick and rich, filled with raisins, currants, and citrons; the outside covered in a hard layer of frosting.

Elizabeth frowned slightly, knowing Will was being ignored on purpose because of his lowly station. It wasn't fair. He had risked his life more than once to save her and he was a good man. A slight hope that he may still show up later bloomed in her heart, but it was very small. She knew it was unlikely that he'd come at all as he didn't feel comfortable among her peers. And they would likely resent his intrusion as well if he ever showed up. Still, if she couldn't be with Will tonight, then she'd stay with James. If anyone could protect her from a werewolf, surely it'll be the Commodore?

000

Will scampered quickly through the inky shadows, the tantalizing scent trail taking him far from his normal hunting grounds. The air became cleaner, the dirt roads marred with more carriage ruts than old footprints. There was far less litter lining the streets; even in the dark he could see that thanks to the layer of tapetum in his eyes. The houses he snuck past were silent; their huge bulks rising up into the star studded night sky and lit by moonlight. The scent grew stronger and he increased his speed, running on all fours now like his canine cousins. Soon he came upon a tall wall made of large stones. Sniffing about he knew that the roasting pig was just on the other side…

This must be where Lord Beckett is having his party… 

It would be suicide to go in there. The place was crowded with all the wealthy of Port Royal. Still, curiosity itched at his mind. He had never been invited to a party such as this and he most likely never would. He wasn't even sure if the Governor would allow him to marry Elizabeth.

Elizabeth… 

Even through the thick savory scent of roasting pork he could smell her scent, as he had memorized it the other night. Before he knew it, he was leaping upward and in a flash he was over the wall, his fleshy rear footpads landing on the soft grass silently. It was dark here in this narrow gap between the wall and the trees than grew along it. Will crouched down for a long moment unmoving, his belly pressed to the cool earth and waited to see if anyone had spotted his illegal entry. Voices floated to him on the breeze along with the first uncertain notes from a violin. When no shouts were raised, he stood and slowly pushed his way in between the lush plants and trees until he head was poking out. Off in the distance lights glowed like stationary fireflies, the voices slightly louder. A short distance away there was a flowerbed and Will raced towards it, hunkering down again. Traveling in this fashion he soon approached the crowd of wealthy people gathered under the light of dozens of lit lanterns, he himself safely hidden by the thick trunk of a tree. It was clear that no one knew he was there; everyone engaged in conversation in small groups or gathered near some long tables.

Food! 

Even from a distance the tantalizing odor of roasted chicken tickled his nose, causing saliva to run freely in his mouth. The long, white strands dripped out from between the gaps in his pointed teeth to pool on the grass in a sticky puddle, his stomach rumbling loudly. He could almost taste the cooked birds, the flesh juicy and tender; far better than the stringy rats he'd been eating lately. Standing up on his hind feet, front paws gripping the tree's rough bark with his long, razor sharp claws, Will could almost see the dark brown shapes on the long table. Each one seemed to be on a fancy plate with springs of green stuff around it. There were other things on the table, too. He remembered how Elizabeth had tried to convince him to attend the party with her, promising rich foods he'd never had before. She was there right now, talking to her father. She was, as always, beautiful but looked even more splendid in the soft silvery moonlight. A gentle warm breeze blew the long linen against her dress, bringing it to his attention. His heart thudded wildly at the sight of the snowy white tablecloth that reached all the way to the grass.

If I could sneak over there, I could eat under the table and no one would be the wiser… 

But dare he risk it? The table wasn't that far from where he was hiding. If he was quick, he might remain unnoticed. He had really wanted the pig, but there were too many people admiring it.

They're all blinded by the lanterns, their night vision ruined… 

A too-familiar shape materialized out of the crowd and approached Elizabeth. "Miss Swann, Governor…"

000

Elizabeth turned upon hearing Commodore Norrington's voice, a smile appearing on her face. He was neatly dressed in his dark blue dress naval uniform with shiny buttons, white ruffled cuffs, neck cloth and tricorn hat with white ostrich feathers. His dress sword hung from his waist and she pondered for a second how effective it would be against a werewolf; if that's indeed what it was. She was about to greet him politely when something over his shoulder, in the background, caught her eye: two golden glowing points of light near a dark tree trunk…

An electric current of fear shot through her, her breath pausing in her lungs and her face going pale.

Those eyes…

They were the same twin dots of yellow she had seen in the smithy that night! She had half expected for it to show up, but to actually _see_ them was far worst than she had feared! Acting quickly, she hurried to Norrington's side and gripped his forearm, pointing with her free hand at the tree. "That beast is back! It was just there, by that tree, looking at us!"

Norrington turned and glanced at the tree. "Where? I don't see anything…"

"Oh, Elizabeth…" Her father said as he, too, moved away from the table to stand next to Norrington. Turning to the younger man, the Governor smiled apologetically. "You must forgive her, Commodore. She has been jumpy since that, ummm, dog chased her."

While they were all either looking at the tree or at each other, a dark shape darted out of the darkness from the far side and scurried under the table. While their backs were still turned, a hand flashed up from underneath the white linen with lightning speed. Wickedly curved claws flared in the moonlight for seconds until they sunk into the soft flesh of a roasted chicken, clear juices flying outward from the sudden punctures. The too-long fingers curled around the bird, yanking it off the table and into the hiding spot. The silver platter the chicken had been resting on fell onto the grass with a soft thud.

Upon hearing the sound, the three humans turned to look at the table. Confusion crossed Governor Swann's face as he spotted the platter resting on the grass. "How did that get down there?"

"But I saw it!" Elizabeth insisted as she continued to hold onto James' arm with one hand, uninterested in the platter lying on the grass. Heart thudding in her chest, she nervously peered back towards the tree where she had seen the glowing eyes. The tree was just beyond the lantern's light; the area dim. The tree itself shaded the area directly beneath it from the moonlight. "You have to do something before it kills someone. And it's not a dog, it's a werewolf!"

The Governor put a hand to his forehead, sighing loudly; his other hand still holding the plate of fruitcake and pudding. "Elizabeth, I have no idea where you get these ideas! If I hadn't been attacked by that skeletal hand…"

"Lord Beckett told me…" She started to reply but was quickly cut off.

"I thought I told you to stop spreading these wild rumors." Lord Beckett said as he joined the three by the long food table. "And I never said it was a werewolf. I said it was a _dog_. Everyone knows that werewolves do not exist. We live in a modern age and must let go of these silly superstitions. Monsters, including your werewolves, have been erased from the map. What will you claim to see next, a kraken or Davy Jones perhaps?"

"You never saw it!" Elizabeth countered angrily, brown eyes glaring at Lord Beckett. "That thing chased me all night!"

"How convenient for certain individuals…" Beckett stated.

"You must forgive my daughter." Governor Swann interjected, a half smile on his face as if that would placate the annoyed Lord. "She has had a few trying days recently and I'm sure she is not fully recovered from her ordeal with those horrible pirates. It is a miracle we got her back at all…"

"Indeed." James agreed as he stood next to Elizabeth, an arm gently hooked around her waist.

The Governor placed his plate of food onto the table and picked up another plate. "I think, Elizabeth, what you need to do is eat something. Do that and I'm sure you'll feel better. Then James will take you dancing and you can forget all this business of glowing eyes and wild dogs. Now, what would you like?"

The loud snapping and cracking of bones came from underneath the table, the white linen shaking.

"What was that?" Governor Swann asked, a confused look at his face as he peered all around for the source of the odd sound. When nothing was evidently the cause, he shrugged his shoulders and picked up his previously poured glass of brandy, taking a sip to quite his nerves. "Now, what would you like? The fruitcake looks excellent, wouldn't you agree?"

A loud squeak issued from Elizabeth's mouth, her brown eyes growing wide as she stared horrified at the table. It was clear at once to her that something was underneath it, eating. The hand on James' arm tightened, her fingers gripping the material with white knuckles. She pressed her body closer to him, unknowingly blocking his access to his sword in case he needed it. In her fright, her dance card fell out of her free hand and fluttered through the air, carried on a breeze, to land by her father's feet.

Governor Swann frowned at Lord Beckett. "Really, Cutler, you shouldn't be telling her tales of werewolves! Such talk is indecent and now she is leaping at the slightest odd sound. You should see a carpenter. I do believe this table is creaking from the strain. Surely it is about to collapse! And look, this platter has already fallen off…"

"It is the townsfolk saying that, not I." Beckett countered, his head held high.

Governor Swann bent to pick up the fallen dance card, setting his glass of brandy down upon the grass quickly as a sudden gust of strong breeze gripped the hat and partly lifted it from his head. Hand holding the hat down securely, the dance card in his other hand, he straightened. Walking the few steps back to James and Elizabeth, he handed the still blank piece of paper to the Commodore.

No one noticed the clawed hand that quickly snatched the drink from underneath the table.

000

Will, still being young and innocent in many ways, really had no experience with alcohol, especially not hard liquor. He had seen what drinking had done to Mr. Brown and he had vowed never to try the stuff, for it had turned a good, hard-working man into a shell of his former self. The drink and bottle had taken control of him and Will wanted to be his own master instead of ruled by spirits. Still, the chicken had made him extremely thirsty as there had been some sort of spice on it or so it seemed. He had eaten it all, even crunched the bones up to small bits with his strong jaws and swallowed it. So when Governor Swann had placed his almost full glass of brandy onto the grass, he had snatched it.

Curious, Will sniffed at the amber liquid in the glass. It had a strange odor, one he didn't particularly like. Still, it was liquid and he was thirsty. Perhaps this stuff wasn't as bad as the stuff Mr. Brown drank? He had never seen Elizabeth's father drunk or in a stupor. And he was sure the Commodore drank some sort of stuff as well. It was difficult holding the fragile stemmed glass with his clawed hand and he feared spilling it, so he bent his face to the glass's opening and quickly lapped it up. The stuff burned his throat like fire and he soon felt odd warmth spread throughout his body, centering in his belly. Within minutes his head felt strange, too, light-headed. The glass dropped from his paw and he quickly forgot all about it.

The werewolf was drunk.

000

Governor Swann returned to the table, surveying the grass before him for his glass of brandy. Not seeing it, he grew even more puzzled then before. "Where did my glass go? I thought I left it right here, but now it is gone…"

It was at that moment that the white linen tablecloth lifted upward and the werewolf's ugly snout poked out, its black nose moving as it sniffed the air. Soon the entire head followed, it's golden eyes evident even in the bright light of lanterns. Almost instantly it locked its vision on Elizabeth and it eagerly moved towards her. It had human-like hands with too-long fingers and sharply curved claws. Its ears were perked upward, twisting this way and that like a cat, listening for the slightest sound. A long string of saliva dangled from its partly open jaw, a jaw that revealed sharp teeth.

Shocked, Governor Swann stumbled backward, away from the ugly beast and almost collided into Lord Beckett. Instead Swann stepped onto the greasy metal platter and slipped, his buckled shoe shooting out from underneath him. With a loud grunt he landed on his back in the grass, missing Beckett by a few scant inches. Cutler was glued to the spot and stood staring, open-mouthed, at the creature emerging from under one of his feast tables. It was the strangest thing he had ever seen and a bell of doom sounded in his head.

Elizabeth shrieked loudly and clung to James tighter, terrified. She pressed her body flush to his side and now clung with both arms, her other arm reaching across his chest to grip his other shoulder. The thing looked even worst now that the lantern light revealed it clearly. More of it had emerged from underneath the cloth now and it rose up onto its hind feet just like a person, except it had feet like a dog. It stood on its toes with the too-long hind foot and blunt black claws that gripped the grass lightly. Then it took several steps forward, moving a bit unsteadily.

James blinked his green eyes, surprised at seeing the beast suddenly in front of them. Remembering his ceremonial sword, he tried to reach for it but his questing hand found Elizabeth instead. He tried to push her aside but she clung even tighter…

000

"Promise me you'll try to attend if you finish your work early so we can share at least one dance?"

Elizabeth's words repeated in Will's foggy brain as he stumbled towards her, the sweet perfume she wore filling his nostrils. The fact that she clung terrified to James didn't register in his brain. She had wanted to dance with him at the party and now he was going to do that, grant her wish…

Closing the last step between them, Will placed one clawed hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and the other on James' shoulder. The fact one hand was resting on the wrong person didn't matter; he needed both of them to keep him steady on his feet at the moment. He really didn't know how to dance as he never needed to as a blacksmith, but he had seen a few others do so on various occasions. It would have to be good enough…

000

Elizabeth shrieked as the werewolf reached out for them and it's clawed hand landed on her shoulder. She could feel the warmth of its palm on her shoulder through the thin silk of her gown; feel the pointed tips of its claws pricking her tender skin lightly. But far worst than that was the hideous face so close to hers. Those evil golden eyes with the beady black pupil; the partly open mouth with pointed teeth, the foul breath wafting in her face. The beast was leaning on her and she was trapped between it and James. Surely at any moment it would rip her throat out…

I have to do something! 

James yelled and tried to shove it away with his free hand, but the beast didn't want to go. It's claws were clinging stubbornly to his dress jacket; the points stuck in the thick material. Then it threw back its ugly head and started to howl, the loud sound filling the night air and overpowering the soft sounds of strings.

Loud shouts started to ring out as others became aware of the horrible creature clinging to James and Elizabeth. Women screamed and stampeded for Lord Beckett's house; others running towards their own carriages to rush as far away as possible. A few brave souls just stood where they were; gawking at the strange sight.

Governor Swann struggled to his feet, horror clean on his face. "Elizabeth!"

Turning on his heel, he snatched the first thing off the long feast table that his hand landed on. Gripping the cheesecake, he threw it at the creature's head hoping that it would let the two in its grasp go. The cake hit with a solid splat, the warm creamy filling splattering on its fur; bits of it flying onto the trapped humans.

More shouts rang out and soon James' lieutenants came running over. Surprise flew over their faces, as this was the last thing they had expected to encounter. It clearly was the same beast they had chased the other night, the one that had raced through their bedroom in the fort chasing Elizabeth.

"Do something!" Governor Swann shouted at them as he waved his hands in the air.

Gillette and Groves pulled out their pistols, aiming at the furry creature.

Governor Swann's eyes grew even rounder, wild panic on his face. "NO! You'll shoot Elizabeth! Do something else!"

Desperate, the Governor snatched another item off the table; a roasted chicken. Rushing forward, he shoved the whole bird in front of the werewolf's open mouth. Smelling the meat being held directly in front of it, the creature opened its jaws wider and eagerly bit into it, the elder Swann pulling his hand away just in time. Freeing its claws from the various bits of clothing, the creature settled onto the grass at their feet and started to devour the juicy chicken.

Elizabeth shivered with fright and continued to cling to James' arm as she was guided away from the awful creature. Lifting her eyes, she quickly found Lord Beckett. "Now do you believe me? I _told_ you there was a werewolf!"

"That is a _dog_." Lord Beckett calmly stated as he still stood in the same place as he did before it all started.

"What? How can you say that? Look at the thing!" She cried, pointing at it with a shaking arm. "It was even walking on its hind feet, like a person!"

"And it clearly had trouble doing so. It obviously was leaning on you so it _could_ stand on its hind feet, a feat most dogs or other animals can only do for a short time." Beckett explained as he cautiously moved a bit closer to the beast. "Yes, this particular specimen was no doubt purchased for its ugly appearance…"

"But … who would buy such a hideous thing?" Governor Swann asked as he continued to stare uneasily at the creature chewing its meal. It's powerful side teeth made little work of the chicken's flesh and soon it started snapping the bones. As each bone snapped Governor Swann jumped a little. "And why…"

"Isn't it obvious?" Beckett replied coolly. "Commodore Norrington did."

000

Will licked his lips as he devoured the last scrap of chicken, his sensitive nose searching the grass for any scraps he might have missed. Since eating, his brain had cleared and the odd feeling had gone away. Lifting his head, he was shocked to find a gathered crowd around him.

Uh oh… 

This was the exact situation he wanted to avoid! Humans often went crazy when it came to werewolves, hunting them down and killing them whenever possible; not that he blamed them. Most werewolves were vicious and enjoyed killing. But then there were gentle ones as well who never harmed a regular human in their life. If they realized what he was he was done for… But then he heard what Beckett was saying, dog, Norrington's dog.

I guess I better act like a dog… 

000

"What?" Norrington cried, shocked beyond belief. "That's not my dog! I don't even have a dog!"

But to his growing horror, the hairy beast slowly stood up and walked towards him slowly. It had a strange gait, like a person trying to walk on all four in a bent over position; yet somehow it did this without too much difficulty. When it got within a few feet, Norrington quickly backed away, but it kept following him. When his back hit one of the iron posts holding up a lantern, he was forced to stop and the thing settled down at his booted feet. It sat hunched on its stomach, with its front arms stretched out in front of it and its back legs folded up somehow. James wouldn't be able to describe it if his life depended on it, but it was the way a dog or cat sat. How _this_ thing with its odd, human-like body managed it was a true mystery; yet manage it somehow it did. The beast lifted its head and glanced up at him with glowing yellow eyes, mouth hanging open and tongue drooping out – just like a dog.

"As I was saying," Lord Beckett continued. "It's clearly your dog. When Miss Swann here broke her engagement to you in favor of Mr. Turner, you devised this plan. You wished to frighten her back into your arms so you purchased this dog in secret. Each time it shows up she ends up in your arms or you are at least together. You two spent the other entire night running about town together in a tasteless display. You have, in fact, made yourself into the new hero…"

The gathered crowd shifted their eyes from Lord Beckett to Norrington. Whispers soon broke out as they eagerly discussed the new outrageous scandal.

"That's … that's not true!" James sputtered, shocked. "I never saw this animal before the other night, when Miss Swann came pounding on my door!"

"That's insane!" Elizabeth cried, also horrified. "That thing is not a dog! And James would never concoct such a scheme!"

"Really? How naïve of you, Miss Swann, as whoever marries you will inherit a small fortune. Money has always been a strong motivator. I'm sure Mr. Turner has concocted his own scheme as well…"

The crowd's whispers grew louder.

Governor Swann inched as close as he dared to the ugly beast sitting at Norrington's feet and peered at it, cautiously. "How do we know what it is? It could be anything…"

"It is a _dog_ and that is final." Lord Beckett said loudly, his voice carrying throughout the entire crowd. "Werewolves do _not_ exist. They never did. There is nothing to fear. This beast has hurt no one. It was just doing what it's master taught it to do. Now, Commodore, will you please take your _dog_ home. And in the future don't bring it to social functions and heaven forbid you let it run loose on the streets again!"

Frowning, Norrington stared down at the hairy deformed beast. "Gillette, go fetch a rope."

Elizabeth's brown eyes grew wide and she inched as close to James as she could, standing next to her father. "Surely you're not going to take that thing home with you?"

"I can't arrest it; it's an animal… or animal-like. Truthfully, I don't know what it is. I do know I certainly never seen it before the other night. Elizabeth, you _do_ believe me, don't you? I … I still love you. And I would never wish you harm or try to trick you in any way…" James nervously admitted his feelings, his green eyes staring down at the grass for a moment before returning to her moonlit face hopefully.

"Of course I believe you!" She exclaimed as she watched Gillette return with a long rope, handing it to James. "But what are you going to do with that thing?"

"Put it somewhere…" Carefully, James unwound the rope and allowed one end to drop onto the ground next to his feet. Making sure he had a firm grip on the end in his hands, he ever so slowly knelt down and cautiously tied a loop around the animal's neck. The knot he used was one that wouldn't tighten on the creature's throat, no matter how much it pulled.

"Commodore, is that very wise?" Governor Swann asked, concern clear in his eyes and voice. "For all we know this is some new undiscovered creature that lives on this island. Or it could be a dog as Lord Beckett claims, but a wild one. What if it should attack you?"

"We certainly can't leave it here. It may be a threat, so I'll have to move it with my lieutenants. Hopefully it'll come peacefully…" Norrington took a few cautious steps away from the creature, allowing the long rope to lengthen between them. When he was satisfied with the lead, he tugged on it gently.

The werewolf didn't move.

James pulled harder, ordering it in the firm voice he used to command. "Come!"

The werewolf yawned loudly, its jaws making a cracking sound. Then it laid its humongous head on its paws and acted as if it were about to go to sleep!

James pulled harder on the rope, digging his heels into the soil. This, however, didn't phase the beast at all and it continued to ignore him.

"Oh, for goodness sake!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she hurried to the table and snatched another cooked chicken by a greasy leg. Getting as close as she dared, she dangled the tempting meat in front of it's nose. "It's an animal. Use food. You can't order it around like your officers or sailors!"

The werewolf opened its golden eyes and saw her.

Elizabeth nervously backed away, the chicken still in her hands and forgotten for the moment. Those piercing yellow eyes were staring at her. No dog had yellow eyes. That was a fact. Only wolves did. It was something no one had mentioned or had thought of until now. It rose to its feet now, its gaze still locked on her.

What am I doing? I must be crazy, baiting a werewolf with a chicken! 

It darted forward, right towards her.

Shrieking, Elizabeth threw the chicken and darted behind her father.

The werewolf gulped the small bird down in three bites, then lifted its nose to the air, sniffing. Without warning, it took off at practically a gallop, pulling Norrington right off his feet. He was dragged across the grass with Gillette and Groves running after him, shouting.

Elizabeth watched dumbfounded as the werewolf raced up to the roasting pig and stole it, spit and all. How it managed to carry an entire pig in its jaws she didn't know, yet it clearly could do it without any trouble. Soon it was out of sight and Norrington, too. Then Gillette and Groves disappeared as well. She was left alone with her father, a pale-faced Lord Beckett who was clearly upset over his stolen pig and an excitedly whispering crowd. The whole episode was an immensely embarrassing scandal and she was right in the middle of it!

"Come, Elizabeth. I think it's clear this party is finished. Let's go home." Governor Swann turned and pulled her along by the arm.

"But what about James? That thing dragged him off!" She protested as she craned her neck, hoping to see them reemerge from the distant shadows. She dug her heels into the grass, having a mind to dash off after them, but her father's grip was solid on her arm. "It's a werewolf I tell you! Why won't anyone believe me!"

"Oh, why can't you be normal and be interested in gowns and a proper match? First it was pirates and now you're hooked on werewolves! Sometimes I pity the man you'll marry…" Governor Swann dragged her through Lord Beckett's beautiful mansion and out the front doors, straight to their waiting carriage. Opening the door himself, he shoved her inside and then joined her. "Werewolves, of all the ridiculous things!"

The driver called to the horses and soon they were off, the big wooden wheels rumbling on the dirt road.

000

Will raced over the acres of grass in Cutler Beckett's immense backyard, the whole pig still clutched in his mouth. He hadn't really planned on stealing the pig; it had been a spur of the moment decision. Nor did he care for having a rope around his neck. It was far too much like a hangman's noose and he had witnessed Norrington hang a lot of people. His jaws were started to ache from having his teeth clutch the too-heavy meat; his neck muscles straining from carrying the extra weight. At first it had been easy to carry; he was a werewolf after all with supernatural strength, but the strain was adding up. With each step it seemed to get bigger and heavier. His breath came faster and was starting to sound like the bellows on his forge. Saliva was dripping freely from his open mouth, running down off his chin to land on the grass between his feet. Nor did it help any that he was still dragging Norrington. He could hear the officers hot on his trail, shouting. Every so often he'd hear an extra loud yelp of surprise and then a loud thud as one or the other slipped on his saliva.

As much as he wanted the pig, he knew there was no way he'd ever be able to jump over the tall wall with it.

Besides, I don't want to be a thief… 

The chickens had been more than enough to give his transformation fuel. Nor could he allow the navy to look him in a cell of Fort Charles, for how would he explain his naked self in a cell where they had originally locked the beast? That he had to avoid at all cost.

Coming to a sudden stop, he spat the roasted pig onto the grass; hot steam curling up from it into the clear night sky. Turning, he quickly chewed through the rope, his inner mouth and tongue sore from the sizzling meat. Luckily, his lycanthrope will heal the damage overnight. Pausing to make certain that the Commodore was unharmed, Will was surprised to see James lunging at him; obviously hoping to grip the rope collar about his neck. Using his powerful back legs, Will leaped away with ease and jumped into the thick jungle-like growth that hide the tall rock wall. Within seconds he had scrambled over and darted across the road to freedom.

000

"What would I want with that?" Lord Beckett frowned in utter disgust at the bitten, slime covered roasted pig. Bit of grass and various seeds clung to it everywhere, a large rope tied about it's middle. Norrington and his two officers had managed to drag it back to the house where it now lay under the lantern light. "It's ruined!"

"But…" Norrington wiped the sweat off his dripping brow. Dragging it back hadn't been easy. "We had gone through a lot of trouble bringing it back…"

"Take it home to feed your dog." Beckett ordered as he turned on his heel and disappeared into his house.

000

"Oh, Will, it was just _awful_!" Elizabeth exclaimed the next day, her brown eyes wide with part excitement and part fear as she gushed at him inside the smithy, unmindful of the smoke or dirt. "That _thing_ crawled out from under the feast table and it came right at me! It actually put its hand right on my shoulder, right here! Will, are you listening?"

The young blacksmith yawned, a hand covering his mouth. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I was up late last night and then I didn't sleep very well…"

Not to mention I had a tough time washing that white gunk out of my hair that your father threw on me…

"It had these huge claws and these evil glowing eyes. I really wish you had been there to protect me from it. I thought it was going to rip my throat out. Everyone was so shocked when it appeared. I told Beckett he was foolish to be having an outdoor party with that thing on the loose, but he only cares about profit! He even lied to everyone, saying it was a dog! Can you believe, that, a dog!"

Will looked at her blankly. "But isn't that what it is?"

"Of course not! It's a werewolf!"

To be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Moon Madness 3

Moon Madness 3

Author's Note: I have decided to write more to this story. And I have been working on a new POTC story as well – so far its 43 pages (18,000 words) - when its finished I'll post it.

Will worked in the forge; his arm swinging methodically at the red hot metal but his mind was elsewhere. How had Elizabeth known it was a werewolf? And more worrisome, what could he _do_ about it? He just couldn't tell her, could he? He could just imagine the scene in his head. He could practically see the two figures in the burning fire, he and Elizabeth.

000

"Elizabeth, I love you, but there's something I have to tell you." Will said as he nervously fidgeted, his stomach a roiling mass of nerves. "I…I don't know how to say it though. I'm afraid if I tell you, I'd loose you forever…"

Elizabeth looked dreamily at him. "You can tell me anything, Will. You know that. I don't care if you're a blacksmith instead of a wealthy lord or from a well-known family. You have a good heart and you saved me from those pirates. It's all I need to know."

"I have to tell you before we're wed. It's only fair." Will reached out and held Elizabeth in his arms, pulling her close against his body. Her perfume was sweet in his nose and her hair soft against his cheek. He was truly happy, but his happiness was bittersweet, as he feared it would soon end. Yet his honor and moral center demanded he inform her of his lycanthrope. It was the proper thing to do even if it was tearing him up inside. Taking a deep breath, he pulled up his courage. "My father has a rare disease and well, I have it as well…"

Her brown eyes widened in surprise and then a worried expression appeared. "Oh, Will! You're not sick, are you? Please tell me you're not! Father could always get a doctor…."

"No, Elizabeth, it's not that kind of illness…" Will quickly added as he hushed her words. "It's … it's nothing doctors can cure or even treat. It's not a _normal_ illness. Most people don't even believe it's real…"

"What do you mean, not a normal illness?" Elizabeth asked, truly puzzled. "What is it then?"

Will allowed his arms to drop from around her and he stepped a few paces away, turning his back. He knew telling her would be difficult, but now that he had brought the subject up, he didn't want to. He feared his words would cause her to run straight to the Commodore's arms. At least _he_ was a normal human with no supernatural curses. "You said earlier that the dog that had chased you…

"The werewolf you mean…" She corrected, still clearly puzzled. Then her brown eyes widened in shock and a hand rose to cover her mouth.

"I have lycanthrope." He finally said as he turned to face her once again. "It was I that chased you…"

"No! It can't be!" She cried as she stumbled backward away from him, her eyes filled with anguish and fear. "You can't be that horrible beast! It just can't be so!"

"I love you, Elizabeth, but I can't stop being a werewolf!"

Elizabeth turned on her heel and fled, her footsteps fading with every step until silence met his ears.

000

Will awoke from his sad fantasy, shaking his head. Telling her would never work, yet he knew he must. Yet he didn't want to loose her or lie to her.

If only she weren't afraid of the beast!

But she was. Her running and screaming that first night had proven that. What he needed was some advice or at least an idea. But nothing came to mind, nothing at all. There was no way he could change the beast's physical appearance. And she was far too smart. She had already been saying it was a werewolf. What if she figured it out on her own before he could tell her? She may hate him for that, for keeping secrets. Then he would loose her for sure.

At least his deception last night had worked. From the excited whispers floating around town, he knew more than half the townsfolk thought he was Norrington's dog and that the Commodore had thought up a clever scheme to win her back. In other words, they believed Beckett's lies. But did Lord Beckett really believe that or did he just say it in public? Needless to say, he needed to be extra careful when he transformed less he found himself caught in some trap. He had been far too foolish last night and had allowed too many people to see him clearly. Even now the marines were out searching for the dog.

000

James Norrington stared down at the large, partly roasted pig that sat on his kitchen floor. Large puncture marks from the wild beast's teeth were plainly evident in the thick pork skin and it truly concerned him that something that could do that was running around Port Royal loose. How dare Lord Beckett say it was his dog? His false accusations made James' blood boil. When Elizabeth had declared her love for the blacksmith at the hanging, he had graciously stepped aside. And to now say that he would stoop so low with a wild scheme, why, it was insane! Worst, for unknown reasons, the wild deformed beast had moved to sit at his feet, making Beckett's lies look real. He had already heard the excited gossip that was spreading around town faster than ship's scuttlebutt. And it was spreading there as well. Soon the entire fleet would hear of it. He was forced to catch the thing to save his own reputation if nothing else.

After Beckett had ordered him to take the ruined roast home for his _dog_, that's exactly what he had done. It had taken many marines to lift the heavy carcass and place it into a wagon. A thick layer of canvas had been placed on his floor to save it from drippings and grease, but with the tropical heat he feared it would go bad quickly. But hopefully it would serve as bait. The creature had been clearly starving the way it had wolfed down entire roasted chickens, bones and all.

But how had it known what Beckett had said? Was the beast really Lord Beckett's dog? No one had seen it in town until he had arrived.

Unless it really was a werewolf…

James frowned at the thought. He preferred being sensible and rational, but he had seen the undead pirates. They had been real, not imaginary. He had also seen the creature clearly last night, its body too human-like. In many ways it had appeared more human than wolf and he didn't know how in the world Lord Beckett had convinced so many people it had been a dog! They must have been desperate to even believe that, for accepting the alternative – a werewolf – would require much bravery. People were very good at ignoring things they didn't want to face.

He hauled the kitchen window open to allow the pig smell outside. His plan was to wait until nightfall and then try to recapture the beast once it hopefully climbed in to eat the tasty porker. Placing a hand over his nose, James fled to the other room, shutting the kitchen door securely. The meat was already starting to go sour and he wished the sun could move more quickly across the sky. Alas, it would be many hours yet and the hottest part of the day was still to come.

If the creature truly was a werewolf, then who could it be? James prized himself on having a sharp mind and a gift for command. Figuring the werewolf's identity shouldn't be too difficult. Twice it had appeared and had gone after Elizabeth. At the party it had come right up to her, placing its large paws on their combined shoulders. So, who besides him loved Elizabeth?

"Turner…" James said as he stopped dead in his tracks. No, it couldn't be! The werewolf was something new in Port Royal and Turner had lived here since he was a young boy. Yet, Elizabeth had said she had first seen the thing in the blacksmith shop…

James hadn't asked what she had been doing sneaking out to the forge at such an ungodly hour. Truthfully, he didn't want to know.

Then a new worry gripped him and he dashed upstairs to his bedroom. His fingers flew over the buttons of his uniform until he had then all unbuttoned, his bare chest visible. Staring into the mirror, he lifted a finger to gently probe at the tiny red spots on his upper chest. The dog had partly stuck its nails into his skin when it had knocked him down the first night, just breaking the skin. It was a very minor wound, no more serious than a paper cut really, but wound it was.

All werewolf stories stressed how contagious it was…

Fear gripped James and he stood stock still staring at himself in the mirror, his heart pumping wildly in his chest as he breathed through his open mouth. Was some strange disease even now growing within him? His logical mind wanted to dismiss it as childish fears, but he found it incredibly difficult to do. Stepping closer to the mirror, he peered at his eyes carefully. They looked as green as always, the white area normal as can be. True, his face was a tad pale but that could be from fright. Next he opened his mouth and pulled up his upper lip, half expecting to see sharp canines. The thing had possessed truly awful teeth, long and sharp enough to rend flesh easily. But to James' relief, his teeth were ordinary as any other human's. Fearing it was too late for any preventive treatment, James picked up a cake of soap and dipped it into the metal basin of water that was on his dresser. He would carefully clean the wounds even though they looked perfectly fine.

Finished, he re-buttoned his clothing properly and headed downstairs. Unless Elizabeth had a secret admirer, then it was most likely that Mr. Turner was the werewolf. He would go confront him on the subject.

000

Will was still worried about his problem and hadn't gotten anywhere. At least Mr. Brown wasn't in today to spy on him. The man had taken to not even bothering coming in lately; he wasn't sure why. In fact, he hadn't seen him in a long time and the young apprentice blacksmith suspected he was on a drinking binge. His arm swung at the metal, steadily pounding it into the shape required. He was so busy that he never heard the door creak open as a figure slipped within, but he did feel the cool breeze blowing on his sweaty bare back. It was so hot and stuffy in the forge that Will had removed his shirt and worked bare-chested. Hoping it wasn't Elizabeth coming to visit him, for it would be improper for a woman to see him without a shirt on; he nervously turned to see whom it was. To his surprise, it was Commodore Norrington.

What does he want?

Worry bit at him and Will wiped sweat from his brow to give him a moment to calm himself, his arm momentarily blocking his expression. His face became blank and he looked innocently at the Navy man. "Commodore, what can I do for you?"

Beads of sweat were already appearing on the Commodore's face and he pulled out a white hanky to wipe his forehead. "Mr. Turner, I have a few questions to ask you…"

"Oh?" Will remarked, trying very hard to look his most innocent. "About what? Do you need more parts for your ships perhaps?"

"The ships are fine, Mr. Turner." James replied smoothly as more sweat ran down his face and down his back. He would have preferred to go outside, but people might overhear there, so he was forced to suffer through the incredibly high heat. Most people avoided the forge for that very reason when Will was busy working. "I do require some information about that _dog_ that's been constantly chasing Miss Swann for the last two nights. She remarked the first time she saw it, it had been in here…"

"I suppose Mr. Brown left the door open…" Will replied smoothly. "He's been having some … problems these last few years. I'm sure you know that. You can look around if you'd like, of course."

James stared at the young blacksmith, noticing his firm muscles and pondered if he would be capable of carrying an entire pig. It had seemed very reasonable when he had been alone but now that he was confronting the young man, he feared appearing crazy. What if Will wasn't a werewolf at all? Was he just blaming him because he had stolen Elizabeth away from him, embarrassed him in public? It had been utterly shameful to have Elizabeth loudly declare she'd rather marry a blacksmith than him. "Thank you, Mr. Turner. I will do just that."

The Commodore turned and started poking about the blacksmith shop, doing his best to stay away from the heat of the working forge. The donkey was in one piece and seemed uninjured. If the young man truly were a werewolf, wouldn't he have attacked the donkey? He didn't bite Elizabeth or me though…so perhaps the donkey meant nothing. "You haven't seen it yet, have you?"

"No, I haven't." Will replied as he idly watched the older man look around. The Commodore was wasting his time, of course. He wasn't stupid enough to leave any clues behind and he always ate all the bones. The fur went back into his body so there wasn't any of that lying about, either. He relaxed slightly, his muscles becoming looser.

"Would you tell me if you did?"

"Of course I would!" Will exclaimed loudly. "Unlike you, Commodore, I have to stay in here most of the day doing my work. I have orders to fulfill and Mr. Brown doesn't help any at all."

James stepped into the far corner that was filled with hay, most likely the donkey's feed. There was a faint rank smell, one he couldn't quite place but it was difficult to smell it over the stink of red hot metal. One minute it was in his nose quite plain and then it was gone. He stared at the hay trying to see any shape to it, if an animal had made a lair in that location but it was useless. Sighing, the Commodore turned around and returned to where the blacksmith waited. He studied Will's face for a moment and saw only innocence. He took a deep breath, the scorching air painfully hot in his lungs and wondered if he was crazy. "Mr. Turner, there is a rumor about werewolves going around town. Miss Swann, for one, is convinced the beast is a werewolf. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"What? Do you think I change into the beast at night and chase Elizabeth?" Will laughed, tickled at the chance to tell the truth but in a joking manner.

"Do you?" James countered, his mind still worrying about the little scratches on his chest. He was sure he could feel them tingling oddly beneath his layers of clothing or was that his imagination?

Will snickered. "If I did, would you expect me to tell the truth?"

"I've never known you to lie, Mr. Turner." James countered, sighing. It was clear Will was avoiding answering the question, which didn't bode well for him. "Then let me rephrase the question. Did you attend Lord Beckett's party last night?"

"No, of course not. I wasn't invited." Will answered quickly as he walked the few steps to work the bellows. While they had been talking the fire had been burning low and he needed it red hot to do his work properly. Truthfully, he didn't like Commodore Norrington's questions as it suggested the man knew too much. "You didn't see me there, did you?"

"No, but I saw the beast that is following Miss Swann. Besides myself, you're the only other person in this town that loves her." James admitted as he felt the heat start to increase again just as the room had cooled a few degrees. "Mr. Turner, must you do that? It's hotter than the native spicy food in here."

"Well, I have my work to do…." Will shrugged apologetically as the bellows whooshed and the fire shot upward once again. "Elizabeth never understands that I have orders to get out on time as her days are her own, but I expect you to, Commodore. And yes, I love her. And I'd gladly risk my life for her again or even one hundred times if that's what is required."

"I understand you have orders to fulfill, but I have a dangerous beast on the loose and it's my job to solve that mystery." James pulled out his hanky again and wiped at his brow, drops of sweat painfully stinging his eyes. His entire body felt wet and his layers of clothing were far too stifling, his white shirt glued to his back under his various jackets. Although he could see sunlight shining in through cracks in the walls, it did little to let in a refreshing breeze. His wig would stink from sweat and he frowned. Navy officers were expected to be clean and proper all the time and that went double for Commodores. Tucking the hanky into a pocket, he unbuttoned his frock coat in an attempt to relieve the intense heat. At times like this, he envied Will's ability to walk around half undressed. "The beast is dangerous, is it not?"

"What do you intend to do with it if you catch it?" Will asked, a little worried.

"That depends what sort of beast it is. Or _who_ it is."

Will stared at James as he finished unbuttoning his frock coat and casually leaned against the nearby wall. The way he was standing there, it gave him the impression that he was planning on staying put. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting." James replied. "I'm waiting for the sun to go down and the moon to rise."

Then James removed his fancy Commodore's jacket and neatly laid it across a nearby sword rack. Although his face was expressionless, he secretly gloated at the blacksmith's shocked expression. He was still sure Mr. Turner was the logical suspect for the beast, especially since Will hadn't answered some of the questions.

"So you're going to stay here…" Will asked, panic starting to grow within his chest. If James stayed, he'd discover the truth and then what would he do? His eyes darted about the older man's uniform and he noticed the sword and pistol. Not that a bullet from a pistol would injure him very much. His wounds healed very quickly and he could recover from most anything. Would the Commodore hang him for being a lycanthrope? Was hanging a lycanthrope even possible? Truthfully, he didn't know and he didn't want to find out! And he most certainly didn't want the entire town to find out his furry secret.

"Of course. It seems the only prudent path to clearing you as you refuse to answer my questions…" James unbuttoned his frock coat and removed it, then did the same for his neck scarf. "However do you stand this heat, Mr. Turner? It's enough to die from heat stroke…"

"I'm used to it I'm afraid." Will admitted as he nervously bit his bottom lip. He had been looking forward to another romp, as it would relieve some of his stress from his problem with Elizabeth. He still had no clue how to tell her his secret. No matter how he twisted it around, he knew that she would be frightened…

Unless…

An idea sparked to life just as the bellows made his forge fire grow. But it was insane, totally crazy. As he saw the problem, its main obstacle was Elizabeth's fear of the beast. While he was a werewolf he couldn't speak English and she didn't understand his howling. She apparently took one look at his big mouth of sharp teeth and immediately thought he wanted to eat her and that was untrue. He loved her and would never harm her. But James could help him with that…

Of course, that meant telling him the truth…

Will sighed and wiped his sweating brow again. "Commodore, would you help me with a problem if I help you with your problem?"

James raised his green eyes from where he had been staring down at the floor, his fingers unconsciously scratching at the now itchy wounds on his chest. He realized what he was doing, scratching himself in public, and quickly yanked his hand away. "So you _do_ know something about the beast…?"

"You'll not arrest me if I tell you?" Will asked cautiously, knowing full well he had already said too much to stop now. "And you promise to help me with a problem?"

"What sort of problem?" James asked, sure now the problem had to do with the beast. "And I'll not arrest you if you've not done anything that deserves arresting. You haven't, have you?"

"No." Will replied honestly. He hadn't exactly stolen those cooked chickens at Beckett's party; they had been there for people to eat and so he had ate them. He certainly didn't feel guilty for that. "It's Elizabeth. I have a secret and I don't know how to tell her…."

James narrowed his green eyes and stared at Turner. He remembered the first time he had seen the so-called dog, how it had leaped on him and had knocked him to the floor and then bounded into his house. "You didn't run through my house the other night, did you? And through the Fort?"

"Maybe." Will admitted sheepishly, his facing turning slightly pinkish. "But only part of your house."

"And that thing last night? What was that supposed to be?" James demanded, pleased that finally Will was confessing he was indeed a werewolf, even if he hadn't actually used those words. "You had scared me to death, putting those paws on Elizabeth and I."

"Oh! I was trying to dance with Elizabeth…."

James started laughing, his whole body shaking. The very idea of a _werewolf_ trying to _dance_ at Lord Beckett's party…!

"I had promised Elizabeth if I attended I would!" Will cried, his face red from shame. "And well, I don't know how to dance. That and I was a tad tipsy from lapping up Governor Swann's drink, whatever it was!"

Will made a sour expression as he remembered the awful taste of the amber liquid and James laughed even harder. He had never heard of anyone getting drunk from a single small glass of brandy.

"Now that I have solved your mystery, do you plan on keeping your word and helping me? I don't want Elizabeth to be scared of me when I'm a werewolf…." Will's heart thudded crazily as he had no idea what the other man intended to do. He wet his lips nervously and started to speak again. "I thought since Lord Beckett told everyone I was your dog, that well, maybe…"

As Will had said the word _werewolf_, James laughter died. Suddenly it wasn't very funny anymore, especially not since he received those little wounds on his chest. And then another realization clicked in and his emotions tumbled about wildly. "Mr. Turner, are you telling me Miss Swann turned down my marriage proposal to marry a _dog_?"

"Yes, but she doesn't know…"

James groaned. It had been bad enough to be beaten by a blacksmith, but a dog? That was truly degrading and he wanted to sink through the floor and disappear.

"She doesn't know I eat rats out in the fields, either…" Will admitted.

The Commodore turned pale, his mouth gaping open in shock. "You eat _rats_?"

"They're tasty enough I suppose, although dry and stringy. Now that _chicken_ yesterday was truly mouth-watering!" Will licked his lips as he remembered the plump roasted birds. They had been everything he had dreamed chicken to be and more.

"And so now you want to pretend you're my dog? Does that require us to be near each other when you a … werewolf?" James asked nervously, sure that the answer would be yes. Truthfully, he wasn't crazy about being around a werewolf at all. It was insane to say the least. Werewolves were dangerous everyone knew that. And there was the little matter of the rumor Beckett had started. He didn't _want_ people to think the creature was his dog. Yet he couldn't allow it to roam the streets freely, either.

"Yes, of course!" Will rolled his eyes. "I want you to show Elizabeth that I'm not dangerous."

James eyed the younger man uncertainly. He was no coward but he didn't want to risk his neck foolishly, either. And did he really want to help Will smooth over his problem with Miss Swann? If he didn't, it was possible he'd win her back and he desired that very much. "You'll not bite me? Can you control yourself when you're a werewolf?"

"Yes, I've been roaming around Port Royal as a werewolf for a long time now, much longer than you think. I've never bitten or attacked anyone. I've only chased Elizabeth because I love her. I smell her scent and I go a little crazy, but I wouldn't bite her. Of course, not all werewolves are that way. Many are very vicious."

Sighing, James knew he had little choice. As Commodore it was his duty to make certain Port Royal was free of danger and that apparently included roaming werewolves. "Very well, Mr. Turner. Come to my home tonight and there's something for you in the kitchen."

"Really?" Will gawked at him in surprise.

James picked up his two jackets. "Yes, and the kitchen window's open. As you can jump over walls I'm sure you can leap through a window…"

000

James fled from the intense heat of the blacksmith shop, the cooler air outside hitting him with a false artic chill. It felt incredibly refreshing but the coolness fled quickly for it wasn't really cool outside at all. Frowning, he pulled on his fancy Commodore jacket again, looking up and down the street to see if any noisy eyes were watching him. It wouldn't really do to be seen socializing with Turner and there were enough rumors floating about the way it was. Moving onto the shady side of the street, he headed back towards Fort Charles.

Had he just agreed to keep a werewolf as a type of _pet_? How in the world had Turner convinced him of that? It was insane! Nor could he rightfully allow Elizabeth to marry a werewolf! That … that was outrageous! His frown deepened as he could imagine her giving birth to _puppies_! It would be the scandal to end all scandals! Governor Swann would be furious if he ever found out! James knew that Weatherby really didn't care for the blacksmith all that much anyway. All it would take was one word to the man and Turner would be no longer engaged…

To think Elizabeth would rather marry a werewolf than me…

Then a new thought surfaced in his mind, something a tad more disturbing.

Is that why Elizabeth loves Turner so much, because he _is_ a werewolf? Did he give off some scent or something while in human form that she found attractive?

James arrived at the Fort and did some of the paperwork waiting on his desk, slowly waiting for the hours to tick by. He knew exactly when the sun would set and when the moon would rise. As the time grew closer, he grew more nervous. Doubt bit at him and the plan looked more foolhardy every minute. How could he have actually invited a werewolf into his home? He should have taken Turner and locked him up in a cell, that's what he should have done. And surely it was his duty to tell Governor Swann of the young man's illness…

If Elizabeth married Turner, surely she'd catch the lycanthrope as well…

It would be horrible, a true tragedy.

With a final glance at the clock, James rose to his feet and headed home. He had bought the home in preparation for getting married, but now he lived in it alone with no waiting bride. The more he thought about being turned down in favor of a dog, the more depressing it became. Well, perhaps Turner would put him out of his misery tonight. Reaching his house, James unlocked the front door and entered. It was like stepping into Turner's shop, the air hot and stifling. He quickly opened the windows and hoped the cool evening air would blow through to cool the rooms. There was still a bit of light left in the sky but it would fade soon as night fell. Lighting a lantern, James gathered a few tools. Will has said he had never harmed anyone, but he didn't know if he should believe that. All the stories he had ever heard said that werewolves were bloodthirsty beasts that delighted in killing.

James spent another nervous hour pacing, every so often listening near the kitchen door. Then he heard a loud thump and he cautiously opened the door a crack, his eye to the narrow opening. The same ugly beast from the last two nights was in his kitchen sniffing at the pig carcass. The room stank something awful and he feared that the werewolf would prefer something fresher, meaning himself, but it bent its head and started to eat. Once it was fully occupied with its meal, James opened the door wider and crept in. Glowing golden eyes watched him as it continued tearing hunks of pork off the dead partially roasted carcass.

"Lord, how am I supposed to convince Elizabeth you're not dangerous?" James had his back pressed to the wall, his heart thudding in his chest. A small leather belt dangled from one hand. His idea had been to slip the belt around the creature's neck so he could walk it like a dog, but seeing it again, well, it seemed ridiculous. With growing dismay he watched the pig disappear until nothing was left but some bits of congealed grease on the canvas and then that was licked up as well.

The werewolf stood, stretching. Then it slowly padded on two feet towards him, its sharp claws clicking against his waxed floor. It was obvious it had no trouble keeping its balance and it was growing closer with each step. James wanted to flee, but he feared if he did it would just chase him. And catch him.

Was the thing really Turner?

Then it took the belt from his limp hand and secured it around its own neck.

"Elizabeth is never going to believe you're a dog…" James finally said as he found his voice. "Even if you are wearing a collar…"

He certainly didn't believe it.

A few tense minutes ticked by and James slowly relaxed somewhat as the werewolf made no move to kill him. He slipped out of the kitchen and the werewolf followed him. James found the lead where he had left it on a side table and snapped it onto the collar. The entire event was so bizarre that he couldn't actually believe it was happening. Yet he couldn't let him run loose, either. Finding his voice once more, he stared at the werewolf. "Are you going to behave, Mr. Turner? I don't appreciate being dragged through the grass."

Will replied by pulling him towards the front door and James noted he had no problem gripping the knob with his human-like hands. The door swung open and James was soon pulled outside onto his porch. It was dark outside, something he was thankful for. He had purchased a house in a nice, respectable neighborhood and the last thing he wanted was to be seen with such an ugly dog, especially since it looked more human than canine. Most of the nearby homes were dark, no candles glowing in their windows. The moon glowed above, the shining bright orb full and round. The werewolf soon pulled him off the porch and down onto the dirt road. They walked a bit and he was relieved that Turner was obviously behaving himself, walking in an odd four-legged gait.

Then the werewolf stopped, his nose held up in the air as his nostrils moved.

James yelled as the werewolf darted forward without warning, charging down the dirt road at full speed.

"Heel! Heel!" James cried as he was pulled along behind the galloping werewolf, dry dirt flying into his face as he was dragged along behind Turner. The loop of the lead was caught around James' wrist and he clung to the strong strip of leather with both hands. "Stop! That's an order!"

Instead Will loped off the road into someone's yard, pulling James through some bushes. Leaves slapped him in his face and he closed his eyes less he loose one. Then they were past the shrubs and he opened his green eyes again to see the stone blocks of a house passing in a wild blur. "Heel!"

And to his shock Turner stopped. He sat on his haunches and gazed upward, his long snout pointing towards the night sky.

James lay perfectly still for a few seconds, his arms aching and his knuckles white from clinging to the lead so tightly. Slowly he pushed himself up to his hands and knees, the lead still tight in one hand. No matter what Turner did, he was determined to hang onto the lead so the werewolf wouldn't be running around Port Royal on his own. James slowly climbed to his feet, testing that his limbs were intact and nothing broken. Pressing a hand against the still-warm side of the nearby house, he took a moment to study where they were. He could see the sea from here and the familiar large rocks thrusting up into the air. Then he glanced down at himself and frowned. His fine clothing was a mess. Dirt and tiny holes marred his fine outfit and he doubted if it could be salvaged at all. Turner was turning out to be a very expensive pet to say the least. "You are the most ill-behaved dog I have ever seen…"

The werewolf didn't spare even a glance in his direction. Instead it was gazing upward at an open window on the second floor. It was a double window that swung outward on hinges, a white curtain flapping slowly in a gentle breeze. A trellis led from the window down to the brick path they stood on. And then it dawned on the Commodore exactly where they were and his green eyes widened in panic. "No, you are _not_ climbing up there…!"

James tightened his grip on the lead and leaned backward, pulling with all his strength. His black buckle shoes slid on the smooth bricks and couldn't gain much of a purchase; still he tried valiantly to pull the werewolf away. "Come!"

000

Elizabeth lounged in bed, one of her favorite pirate books open on her lap. She had hoped reading the familiar tale would relax her but it wasn't working. She kept thinking of the werewolf that had chased her for two nights in a row. How had it known she was at the party? If it weren't midsummer and so incredibly hot, she would keep her window locked. Every few minutes she kept glancing at the wide opening, movement catching her attention – but it was just the curtain flapping in the breeze. Her nerves were strung tight and any little thing would make her jump in fright. Her maid had already come and gone for the night, so she would be alone until morning, an eternity away. She didn't understand why the werewolf kept following her instead of someone else. It made no sense. She just couldn't see who the werewolf could be and why it was so fixated on her. So many people came to Port Royal that it would be impossible to guess the identity of some stranger. Clearly no one she knew could behave like that!

Then a voice caught her attention. Oddly, it seemed to be coming from outside. Elizabeth knew there was nothing out there, just her father's large backyard and further off the cliff near the sea.

Crawling out of bed quickly, her book tumbling to the floor, Elizabeth ran to her open window and stuck her upper body out to see who was down in her yard. The wind blew her loose tresses into her eyes and she shoved it away with a hand to see more clearly. To her shock, she saw Commodore Norrington and that awful beast! He had the thing on a lead like one would a dog and he was clearly shouting at it to listen to him. She remembered Lord Beckett's words from the night before and how the creature had sat dutifully at James' feet. Was Lord Beckett correct after all? Had her former fiancé bought himself a truly ugly werewolf in an effort to win her back? She couldn't believe that such a thing could be true. She trusted James and he had always been one of her dear friends. And she had worried about him after the creature had dragged him off into the darkness of Beckett's yard. Her father had reassured her he was perfectly fine, but then her father didn't believe it was a werewolf!

Couldn't James see it was a werewolf?

Spotting her, the werewolf leaped upward and stuck its sharp claws into the trellis.

Shrieking, Elizabeth stumbled backward away from the window, the curtain somehow clinging to her sweat-damp body. She thrashed wildly at the clinging lacy fabric with her arms until she fell free. She was wearing just a thin summer nightgown, one her father would not approve of, but then he had never seen it. She now regretted her choice, as the thin material wouldn't provide any protection from the werewolf's teeth and claws. She could hear it now, the wood of the trellis creaking, its loud breathing growing nearer and nearer. Taking another step backward, Elizabeth tripped over her pirate book and fell to the floor, her head bumping against the mattress.

The werewolf's ugly snout appeared in her window the, its clawed hands gripping the thick window frame. It lunged into her room then and Elizabeth just managed to roll out of its way. Shrieking, she climbed over her bed to the other side with a speed she didn't know she possessed. Landing with a thump on the other side, she stared at the monster that was now in her bedroom. Its evil golden eyes were locked onto her and she feared any moment it would leap, its teeth surely aiming for her bare throat. The lead trailing from its collar trembled and then James hoisted himself through the open window. He landed on her bedroom floor and securely gripped the lead, clearly trying to hold it away from her.

The werewolf lunged around the bed then, cutting off her exit to the bedroom door. Shrieking, she leaped up onto the bed, ran across it towards James and leaped into his arms. He caught her and she quickly darted behind him. The werewolf, of course, quickly ran towards James as well. Elizabeth saw it running around James' right side to get her, so she ran around to his left side only to have the beast follow. Turner was so eager to catch Elizabeth than he outran her and passed her up, the lead wrapping itself around James and Elizabeth until they were more or less tied together.

Satisfied he had caught her at last, Turner sat down on her bedroom floor and stared at her, wet tongue hanging out of his mouth to drip slobber on her nice clean floor.

000

"Is that thing yours?" Elizabeth demanded to know in a firm voice, her body pressed against James' chest. Standing sideways to where the thing sat, she could see it all too clearly. It looked monstrous, like a human body covered in animal fur and sporting a wolf's head. The head was far the worst with those sharp long teeth and she couldn't help shivering even though the room was hot and somewhat stuffy.

"No, of course not!" James replied, his heart skipping a beat at the accusing words. This is what he had feared would happen! "I caught it earlier tonight, with the pig that Lord Beckett had donated as bait since it was already ruined. I hadn't counted on it being so strong, though, and dragging me all the way here…"

Elizabeth stared at him, a disbelieving expression on her face. "You _just_ happened to catch a _werewolf_…"

Heat flushed James' face. "I swear, Elizabeth, it gorged itself on the entire pig. It was easy to capture then…."

"Then where are your men, Commodore?" She asked. "Why didn't you have them with you to transfer it into a cage to better control it? Lord knows you have an entire fort full of marines and navy. Or is it one of your men?"

"No, it's not one of my men." James replied honestly, knowing full well the situation was bad in several ways. More significant than Elizabeth's suspicions was the fact that he was in her bedroom. James had no doubts that Governor Swann would appear at any moment to see what the entire ruckus was about. If he were caught in her room at such an ungodly hour, well, he knew it would be very bad for him. He may even be arrested and thrown in jail, loose his commission. How long would it take the older man to grab his night robe, a candle or lantern…? "I do fear that the beast is in love with you, Elizabeth…"

"_That_ is in love with me?" She exclaimed, shocked beyond words. Her eyes widened in fear as she stared at the horrible werewolf that was sitting on her floor still. Her face paled and she leaned heavily against James' strong chest. "No, it cannot be! Why does it just sit there, watching us? Why doesn't it get it over with?"

A chill of dread shot through James as heard fast, heavy footsteps approaching in the hall. If he were caught it may be the end of a career he had worked hard to achieve. "Please, Elizabeth, I beg you. Do not say we are here…"

Realizing her father was coming; Elizabeth struggled to free herself from the leather lead that held her trapped. To her utter astonishment, the werewolf itself unsnapped the lead from the collar and then crawled beneath her bed. Tearing the lead free, Elizabeth shoved at James with her hands, pushing him towards the bed as well. Under it was truly the only place to hide in the entire room as her wardrobe was packed full with the many expensive dresses her father constantly bought her. A clawed hand shot out from under the bed and she yelped in fright as it gripped James by his coat and yanked him under.

Scrambling, she hurried into bed and tried to arrange the covers to hide her somewhat scandalous but cool nightgown. The very next instant her bedroom door flew open and her worried father appeared, a lit lantern in one hand.

"Elizabeth, are you all right? I heard you scream…" Governor Swann said as he held the light high and swung it around the room.

"I had a nightmare, Father." Elizabeth said as she flickered her fan in one hand, the little gusts of wind blowing the fine hairs around her face.

"Oh, Elizabeth! Are you still obsessing about werewolves?" Weatherby sighed as he moved closer to her bed and sat on the edge. "You heard Lord Beckett last night. He declared it was a dog. I admit it looked rather, ummm, peculiar and I can certainly understand why it would give you nightmares, but I assure you dogs can't climb. You are very safe here in your room."

James lay perfectly still under the bed in a layer of dust, frightened to move. The werewolf had its arm around him tightly, holding him against its furry body. It made sense in a way as there was barely enough room under the piece of furniture for both of them. Still, he hated the hot foul breath that was blowing in his face. He was counting the minutes until he could crawl away from it, but Weatherby was making no motions to leave!

Why had he ever agreed to this crazy scheme?

A sharp pain exploded in his cheek and he slapped at his face with a hand he managed to bring forward without the Governor seeing it.

Drat Turner had fleas!

Serving in the Navy for countless years he was used to many adverse conditions, but fleas were not one of them. Even the sloppiest deckhand was free of biting parasites.

The fleas must have been biting Turner as well as he somehow twisted his leg around to start kicking himself in the face, the leg thumping quickly with a rhythmic motion. Fur and fleas flew through the air to land on James' face. The Commodore scrunched his green eyes shut and covered his nose with his hand, hissing in a soft whisper. "Stop that!"

But the werewolf didn't stop. Instead it kicked more vigorously until long strands of saliva flew from the beast's mouth onto his companion under the bed. The vibrations traveled through the floor and up into the bed, causing it to rattle. The few knickknacks Elizabeth had on her desk started moving across the surface, heading towards the edge.

"Earthquake!" Governor Swann shouted in alarm as he felt the bed shaking. Grabbing his daughter, he hauled her out of the bed and shoved her into the bedroom doorway.

Terrified of being caught, James reached out and gripped Will's back foot, holding it still. His face was covered in disgusting wet slobber and he could feel the fleas crawling into his uniform to bite him. The kicking had also raised a cloud of dust and now he was struggling not to sneeze. Will was apparently having the same problem as he snuck his cold, wet nose against James' neck so he wouldn't have to breath the dust.

"Oh, it looks like it's over." Weatherby signed with relief. "No matter how long we've lived here, Elizabeth, I'll never get used to the very ground moving under my feet. It's just not normal…"

Elizabeth was pale and so Weatherby led her back to her bed. "Rest, my dear. And do try to get some sleep."

With that said, Governor Swann left the room and closed the door behind him.

To be continued…


End file.
